Letter from the Producer, XXVII (04/20/2012)

[Niiro]

What poll are you guys referring to?

[Corrderio]

The one from March IIRC. About the combo system, what we don't like about gathering/crafting, etc. It came out like a week after 1.21

[Croy]

What poll are you guys referring to?

The one we took almost a month ago lol. The 3rd Players poll still doesn't have the results posted and the last two came with a special producer letter where Yoshida went in depth with the picks and took a stab what he 'thinks' will likely come about from the polls information. The 3rd poll had things like ideas for a new playable race, classes the player base wanted (Types) and other similar things across a wide variety of systems.

[Reve]

The poll results always take awhile to release. SE has to throw in lots of charts instead of giving results lol.

Very exciting update though.

[Niiro]

The one from March IIRC. About the combo system, what we don't like about gathering/crafting, etc. It came out like a week after 1.21

Please tell me removing or adjusting directional requirements had something to do with the poll.

[Raldo]

Please tell me removing or adjusting directional requirements had something to do with the poll.

They did ask if you were "satisfied with the combo system", but the only way to bring up directional requirements was to put it in the "extra notes" part of the survey.

[Corrderio]

Please tell me removing or adjusting directional requirements had something to do with the poll.

Answers about combos were more along the lines of: "I love it", "Good, but needs more work", or "Horrible", something along those lines. I don't mind the system too much, but I'd rather see it gone or at the very least the removal of the directional bullshit requirement like many people want.

[solracht]

Unless I remember wrong, Yoshida said to use crowd control if you were having issues landing directional combos, so I don't see him removing the directional requirement anytime soon regardless of the poll results.

orz

[Corrderio]

I hope he changes his mind. I think it's stupid melee have a crutch of sorts on their combos that's nonexistent on mages/bow users.

[Niiro]

How does crowd control help with server latency on directional requirements?

Sleep a mob every time you wanna combo?

[Fievel]

How does crowd control help with server latency on directional requirements?

Sleep a mob every time you wanna combo?

Duh

[Alkar]

How does crowd control help with server latency on directional requirements?

Sleep a mob every time you wanna combo?

Sleep is not the only crowd control method <_<

[Sephiroth]

I totally forgot about that poll, didn't even get to submit one.

[Izzy]

Sleep is not the only crowd control method <_<

It's the only one that's going to stop a mob from rotating with you so you can execute combos based on directional requirements.

[Raldo]

I would argue for stun, but the animation lock always keeps me from moving to where I wanted to go before the stun wears off...

[Lokus]

I hear a tank that can hold a mob in position works too.

[miokomioko]

I hear a tank that can hold a mob in position works too.

Sarcasm, but that's something that most people bitching haven't really wrapped their head around. Combos aren't really made to be all that executable while solo.

[Elcura]

Combos aren't really made to be all that executable while solo.

So you're saying this combat system is only really a combat system in specific situations? Well that's great.

Direction requirements are retarded for so many reasons, if you don't think so then I can insert an obvious insult about your intelligence level.

[miokomioko]

Just sayin', since most of this hate is coming from complaints about hitting those rear/side angles while fighting something solo... when the combo system was built around party play. It can obviously be done solo, it's just significantly more difficult, by design, to hit a target from behind when it's staring at you.

Basically: It's supposed to be difficult to combo while solo.

Personally, I'm indifferent about the directional requirements. I have my issues with them, but any time I fuck up, I know exactly why I fucked up and can try to avoid it in the future or simply not expect to be hitting combos consistently with a group who can't keep hate stable... which is usually the only thing that frustrates me about it.

[Elcura]

Since combos are a vital part of the combat system they should at least be functional solo. And functional is not a word I would use to describe comboing solo.

And during party play for the most part combos are fine (unless there are multiple enemies, because then pathing gets retarded and mobs shuffle around without warning even if the tank is still), the only thing holding them back is the server being a fat retard. Directional requirements can come back if they fix the server issues but for now they're doing more harm than good.